China's Bamboo Carbon Afforestation Methodology

2011/11/15 16:50:54

The “New Challenges, New opportunities”thematic
conference of the 2nd Asia-Pacific Forestry Week 2011
and the 24th Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission Meeting have been ceremoniously
held at National Conference Center from November 7th to 11th
2011 in Beijing.

Taking the advantages of this international event,
the session of “Adopting Bamboo Forest in Addressing Climate Change” was opened
in the morning of November 11th by CGCF, INBAR and Zhejiang University
of Agriculture and Forestry (ZUAF). As many as over 100 delegates joined the
session who are from international organizations, government institutions and
consulting firms, for instance, FAO, WWF and countries of Canada, India, Indonesia,
Vietnam, The Philippines and others.

Keynote speech in title of “The study and practice
of China’s forestry carbon sequestration trading” has been presented byDr. LI Nuyun, the forestry carbon sequestration specialist who holds the position of Secretary
General of China Green Carbon Foundation and Deputy
Director-General at the Office for Combating
Climate Change in the State Forestry Administration. In addition, subjects and topics of “The Projected Bamboo growth and
Carbon Sink Model”, “Adopting Bamboo Forest in Addressing Climate Change”, “The
Bamboo Carbon Sequestration Afforestation Methodology”, “The Implementation and
Accounting Approaches in the Bamboo Carbon Sequestration Afforestation Project”
have been extensively covered by Dr.Lou Yiping and Dr. Yannick Kuel from INBAR as well as
Zhou
Guomo, President of ZUAF and Dr. FU Weijun from the same
University.

The delegates enthusiastically engaged in the
discussion of the “The Bamboo Carbon Sequestration Afforestation Methodology”
draft that exposed to solicit comments and suggestions. They conclude that the
study of bamboo carbon sequestration afforestation methodology has been an
innovative move in demonstrating the multiple functions of the bamboo forest
and in advancing the process of bamboo forest ecological service markatization
as well as a thrust to the sustainability of forestry industry in that the
bamboo forest plays a unique role in improving people’s living and environment protection.
Meanwhile, the delegates provided their perspectives that the overarching
considerations should be given to carbon stock of bamboo products which should
be brought into the carbon sequestration accounting category as bamboo
afforestation project differs from other tree species in growth and mature
period and that of the product life span. By doing so, the contributions from
the bamboo carbon sequestration afforestation project in addressing climate
change will be objectively and scientifically reflected.

The three-party cooperation on the study of bamboo
carbon sequestration afforestation methodology between CGCF, ZUAF AND INBAR had
started as early as in 2008. The parties afforested and monitored over 700 mu
of bamboo carbon sequestration forest in Linan City of Zhejiang Province for the
research and demonstration purpose in which the criteria of the “carbon
sequestration afforestation technical specification” and “the guidelines of
accounting and monitoring for carbon sequestration afforestation project”
formulated by SFA have been strictly followed. “The Bamboo Carbon Sequestration
Afforestation Methodology” draft presented at the Asia-Pacific Forestry Week
has been edited on the basis of many years of bamboo research by ZUAF and also
by making reference to the relevant international methodologies of the subject.

Incorporating the comments and suggestions by the specialists
from home and abroad in the 2nd Asia-Pacific Forestry Week, “The
Bamboo Carbon Sequestration Afforestation Methodology” will be further consummated
by CGCF, ZUAF AND INBAR. It is under plan to launch international consultation
about the above-mentioned methodology during the conference in December this
year at the COP17 of UNFCCC in Durban South Africa. Keeping in mind the promotion
of the sustainable bamboo forest development and to scale up the unique role of
bamboo forest in socio-economic development and environment protection as well
as mitigation and adaption to climate change, it is urged that the methodology
can be applied and disseminated in the bamboo forest production, especially in the
member states of INBAR, at an early possible date in its drive to alleviate the
poverty of the farmers whose living depend on bamboo forest.